Labeling machine and process



May 23, 1944- M. F. WEIDA LABELING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July l2, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l NNI May 23, 1944. M. F. wElDA LABELING MACHINE AND PROCESS 1940 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed July- 12 MILLARD F w DA A TORNEY May 23, 1944.

M. F. rWEIDA ALBELING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 12, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 MILLARD F. WEIDA W ATTORN EY May 253, 1944. M F, WEIDA d 2,349,317

LABELING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed July 12, 1940 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR LARD F. WElDA /TORNY Patented May 23, 1944 LABELING MACHINE AND PROCESS Millard F. Weida, Louisville, Ohio, assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 12, 1940, Serial No. 345,100

(Cl. 21S-30) 26 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in labeling, more particularly to a process and apparatus for labelingthe ends of a package in order to hide its unsightly folds as well as prevent the same from opening during handling or transportation. t

One of the objects of this invention is to simply stamp end labels to the tacky folds of traveling wrapped packages. To this end the packages whose wrappers may be provided with a wax or other suitable thermoplastic coating which may be rendered tacky at the folds by the application of heat during the sealing thereof, may be advanced continuously during the application of the labels which may be pressed against the package at their forward ends by a platen moving transversely of the path of the package.

The platen may be heated sufficiently to render tacky the thermoplastic coating with which the label may be provided, to assure adhesion of the label to the wrapper folds, although under some conditions heating of the platen may be dispensed with. Accordingly another object of the invention is to apply thermoplastic coated labels to advancing packages with a heated member which presses the labels against the package folds.

In the case of compressible packages the platen mayengage the package with sucient force to compress it during the application of the label to assure a rm bond between it and the package, and it is a further object of the invention to apply the label in this manner.

Still another object of the invention is to maintain the platen in engagement with the advancing package to Wipe the remainder of the label behind its forward edge into adheringl relationship with the package.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a simplified label feed. The labels Gil this purpose the knife for severing the label web permit disconnection of the driving mechanism from the label-applying device.

A still further object is to provide a feeler device controlling the operation of the label feed to interrupt the feeding of the label web when no package is being advanced into position for application of a label.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned ih view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the end labeling machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device, partly in section, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the label applier and cutting mechanism .ready to cut and apply a label to the end of a moving package;

Fig. 5 is also a sectional plan view of the label applier and cutting mechanism illustrating the applying of a label to the end of a package; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the label affixed to one end of a package.

In referring to the drawings, it should be understood that two labeling units are placed opposite each other on the sides of a delivery runway of a, wrapping machine, so as to be adjacent to the ends of the passing packages in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1- of the patent application of John Jackson, et a1., Serial No. 171,388, on which Patent No. 2,201,207 was issued May 21, 1940.

In the disclosed construction selected to exemplify the invention, the label material is pulled from a roll R (Fig. 3) in the form of a web W by means of three intermittently rotating feed rollers I0, II and I2 which feed said web past an oscillating cutting knife I3 which at the proper time cuts individual labels from said web.

A roll R of label material, which may be provided with a thermoplastic coating consisting of crepe rubber-wax composition such as disclosed in Patent #2,054,113 is held upon a reel I4 (Fig. 3) mounted on a shaft I5 which is supported by a suitable bearing of a bracket I6 extending from a housing I'I. To bracket I6 is also pivoted an arm I8 (Fig. 3) carrying a take-uproller I9 over which the web W is guided to prevent any slack or looping of said web. For this purpose arm I8 may be provided with a tension spring 20.

Each labeling unit is driven by one of the package conveyor chains 2l of the wrappingvmachine. Each conveyor chain 2I engages with a sprocket 22 mounted on a. horizontal shaft `23 supported by suitable bearings of the housing I1. In order to assure proper engagement of chain 2| and sprocket 22, said chain is supported by a guide rail 24 atached to a bracket 25 (Fig. 3) supporting a shaft 23. To the latter is keyed the hub 26 of a collar 21 into which is fastened the protruding hub 28 of a bevel gear 28 loosely supported by shaft 23. Bevel gear 29 engages with a'bevel gear 30 loosely mounted on a stud 3|. To the hub of bevel gear 30 is pivoted a pawl 32 (Fig. 3) which engages with a one tooth ratchet 33. The latter is part of the hub of a gear 34 also loosely mounted on stud 3|. Gear 30 is provided with a tension spring 35 which keeps pawl 32 in engagement with ratchet 33. Gear 34 meshes with another gear 36 loosely mounted on a stud 31 held by housing I1. To the hub of gear 36 is fastened a cam 38 to which in turn is attached a disk 39, all loosely supported by stud 31. On disk 39 is mounted a crank pin 40 to which is pivoted one end of a connecting arm 4 I. 'I'he other end of said arm is pivoted to a crank lug 42 loosely mounted on a shaftv 43 supported by suitable bearings of housing l1. To crank lug 42 is pivoted a pawl 44 which is held by a tension spring 45 in engagement with a ratchet`46 mounted on shaft 43, thus transmitting intermittent motion to shaft 43 to which is fastened the feed roller I mentioned heretofore. Keyed to shaft 43 is a gear 41 (Fig. 1) meshing with a gear 48 fastened to the roller or so called feed drum Il. Both gear 48 as well as feed drum Il, are loosely mounted on a stud 49 held by a suitable bearing of bracket 50 extending from housing I1. Gear 48 meshes also with gear l (Fig. 1) mounted, together with feed roller I2, on a sleeve 52 loosely supported by a stud 53 held also by a suitable bearing of bracket 50.

Cam 38 loosely mounted on stud 31 and continuously rotated by means of gear 36, contacts a cam roller 54 (Fig. 3) pivoted to a cam lever 55 which is loosely mounted on a stud 56 held by a suitable bearing lug of housing I1. To cam lever 55 is rigidly attached an operating lever 51 which by means of a connecting rod 58 is connected to the label applier arm 59. The latter is pivoted to a vertical stud 50 (Figs. 1 and 2) supported by a suitable bearing lug 5I of a horizontal supporting bracket 52 extending from the housing 1. To the applier arm 59 is fastened a platen or label applier head 53 which is provided with an electri cal heating element 54 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5). Applier arm 59 furthermore carries a cam roller 65 which, during the backward stroke of arm 59 contacts a cam lug bfiv which is attached tc the label cutting knife I3. The latter is pivoted to a vertical stud 5l supported by means of a lug 68 of bracket E2.

The knife i3 in conjunction with a stationary,Y

hooked to cam lug 56 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5), the cutting knife I3 remains in a closed position against the ledger plate except during the backward stroke of arm 59 when roller 65 engages with cam lug 66 and takes the same along and consequently opens knife I3 as illustrated )in Fig. 4: A stop pin 12 held by the lower portion of bracket 5l' prevents the knife I3 from striking out too far when in closed position. The ledger plate 58 together with a guide plate 13 form a guide channel for the leading end of web W from which the 'lndividual label L is to be cut. Ledger plate 68 and guide plate 13 are fastened along one edge on a lug of bracket 50 while the other edge is rigidly attached to a projecting portion of lug 68.

The packages P emerging from a wrapping machine (not shown) are propelled through a delivery runway consisting of a pair of side guide plates 14 and a bottom plate 15 (Fig. 2) by a series of pusher arms 16 equally spaced and swingably attached to a pair of conveyor chains 2l each of which drives its respective end labeling unit placed opposite each other at the end of each side guide plate 14. Each package is pushed by a pair of pusher arms 16, each pair of which is mounted on a rod or shaft 11 (Fig. 2) loosely supported by a pair of brackets 18 rigidly attached to the conveyor chains 2|. To each of the shafts 11 is fastened a guide lever 19 carrying a roller 8i! which contacts a guidetrack 8|. Each side guide plate 14 is equipped with a number of electrical heating elements 82, employed for the purpose of heat sealing the end folds of the waxed paper wrapper of the package, wherefore the movement of the applier arm 59, which also operates the cutting knife, will cause label applier head 63 to press a portion of the end label to the tacky end folds E of the advancing package and the latter will carry the end label away due to the adhesion of the heat sensitive rubber adhesive coating of the labels to the tacky waxed paper seals or end folds. It may be noted that under some conditions the heating of the label applier may be dispensed with without affecting the adhesion of the labels to the package folds. Moreover the length of the link 58 may be varied upon unlooseningthe bolt connecting its sections (Fig. 3) to regulate the pressure with which the label is pressed against the loaf. This is desirable to compensate for variations in rmness of different types of loaves. Usually the heat sealer plates 14 converge suiciently to compress the loaf package to assure effective sealing of the folds, and the applier head should compress to a similar degree to assure adhesion of the label.

Heretofore it has been thought necessary in this type of labeling to roll the label on or apply it by means which travel with the continuously moving package. individual label L is cut from the continuous web W, the movement of the cutting knife I3 being produced by the action of the applier arm 59. 'I'he heated applier head 53 of the latter holds the cut label against the end folds of the package until the package has carried the label away. After leaving the applier head, the labels carried by the end folds may then be advanced into contact with side guide plates 83 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) each of which is also equipped with one or a suitable number of heating elements 84 which assure the adhesion of the labels to the package.

In' order to prevent slippage of the web and loss of registration of the printed matter on the labels, the edges of the web are provided with properly spaced cut-outs or indentations I which register with corresponding spaced, raised por- As mentioned heretofore, thetions 85 of the feeding drum II. The stroke of crank arm 4| actuating the pawl 44 as well as the ratchet 46 with which said pawl engages are set for proper registration as well as the proper timing with relation to the operating arm 51 which actuates and controls the label applying as well as the label cutting means. In order to keep roller 54 vin contact with cam 38 as well as assure that the applier head 63 presses the labels L rmly on to the end folds E of the packages, the operating arm 51 is equipped with a tension spring 86 (Fig. 3). Since the web W, while fed past the open cutting knife I3 (Fig. 3) might have a tendency to curl, a guide tongue 81 is provided. The latter is fastened in an upwardly inclined position to the lower portion which may project suiciently to continue heating the package folds until they reach the range of action of the applier head, thus forming a sort of pocket which prevents the severed label L from contacting the package before the applier head has had a chance to press said label against said package. The bottom of said pocket is formed by means of a step 89 provided in the lower portion of side guide extension 80.

Since it is desirable to stop the label feed'in case of a missing package, the labeling unit is provided with a feeler plate 90 (Figs. 1 and 2), which is located in the path of the traveling packages ahead of the labeling units Aof the machine. Said feeler plate is fastened to a lever 9| mounted on a shaft 92 supported by a bearing bracket 93 held by bracket 62. To shaft 92 is secured an arm 94 which through a link 95 is connected to the upper end of a double lever 96 loosely mounted on a stud 91held by bracket 93. The lower end of double lever 96 is connected by rod 98 to a stud 99 mounted on a lever |00 which is secured to a vertical shaft |I supported by suitable bearing lugs within the housing I1. To the upper portion of shaft I0| is fastened an arm |02 carrying an adjustable stud |03, the lower portion of which is equipped with a shoe |04.

'Ihe action of the no-package-no label device is as follows:

When no package is in the delivery runway, feeler plate 90 of course, hangs in its lowermost position, causing, through the hook-up and linkage just described, the shoe |04 to press pawl 44 out of engagement with ratchet 46, thus stopping the intermittent motion imparted to shaft t3 by crank arm 4I and pawl 44. As soon as a package encounters the feeler plate 90 the latter is lifted by the former causing arm |02 to swing the shoe out of the path of the pawl 44 permitting the engagement of the same With ratchet 46, thereby permitting the feed of one label length of web Wpast the now open knife I3.

The centering of the labels in relation to the packages is achieved by releasing the screw |05 on clamp collar 21, thus freeing the beve1 gear 29 from driven engagement with shaft 23. By then turning collar 21, which is keyed to shaft 23, the pusher arms 16 supported from chains 2| which drive shafts 23, can be advanced or retarded, depending on the width of the package to be labeled. After the correct position of the package is determined, screw |05 on collar 21 is tightened again and hub 28 of bevel gear 29 will again turn with shaft 23.

In case it should be desirable to run the package wrapping machine without the end labeling unit, a few turns of hand knob |06 can bring about this desired effect. Said knob |06 is fas- -tened to a threaded stud |01 engaging with a threaded bushing |00 held by and protruding into housing I1. Stud |01. is provided with a plunger head |09 (Fig. 3) contacting a throw-out arm ||0 pivoted on a stud and held against head |09 by means of a tension spring ||2. To the upper end of arm ||0 is pivoted a roller Ill. 'I'he turning of knob |06 in a clockwise direction will cause arm IIO to move forward, thereby bringing roller ||3 in the path of the pawl 32 rotating with bevel gear 30, thus effecting a disengagement of said pawl with ratchet 33 on gear 34 which is the driving means for the entire labeling unit. Therefore as long as roller ||3 remains in the path of pawl 32, the entire labeling unit is cut .it without disturbing the operation of the package wrapping machine. To facilitate the threading of the web W between feed rollers I0, and I2, the shaft 43 is also provided with a hand knob I4.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention is not, therefore, to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. The process comprising advancing into labeling position a compressible package provided with a wrapper having folds which are externally coated with a thermoplastic adhesive, heating said folds to make their thermoplastic coating tacky and pressing a label coated with thermoplastic adhesive against said folds with a pressure suflicient to compress said package by a member sufiiciently heated to render the inner face of said label suiiiciently tacky to cause adhesion of the label to said folds.

2. The process comprising pressing an edge of a label against the tacky folds on a vertical face of a wrapped package to cause adhesion of said edge thereto, wiping the remainder of the label into contact with said tacky folds on said vertical face.

3. The process comprising pressing an edge of a label having a thermoplastic coating against a vertical face on an end of a wrapped package with a member heated sufficiently to fuse the coating on the interior face of the label contacting the package to cause adhesion of the label to the package along said edge, and wiping the remainder of the label into contact with said vertical face of the package.

4. The process comprising pressing an edge of a label having a thermoplastic coating against an end of a wrapped package with a member heated suillciently to fuse the qpating on the in. terior face of the label contacting the package to cause adhesion of the label to the package along said edge, wiping the remainder of the label into contact with the package, and heat sealing the label to the package.

5. 'I'he process comprising pressing one edge of a label having a thermoplastic coating against an end of an advancing package having a wrapper provided with end folds having a thermoplastic external coating, fusing the thermoplastic coating of said end folds, pressing one edge of labels having a thermoplastic coating against said fused end folds to cause adhesion of the label thereto, and wiping the remainder of the label against said folds.

6. The process comprising pressing one edge of a label having a thermoplastic coating against an end of an advancing package having a wrapper provided with end folds having a thermoplastic external coating, fusing the thermoplastic coating of said end folds, pressing one edge of labels having a thermoplastic coating against said fused end folds to cause adhesion of the labels thereto, wiping the remainder of the label against said folds and then heat sealing the label to said end folds.

'7. The combination with a member for pressing one edge of a label against tacky folds of a wrapped package, of means for advancingthe package to cause said member to wipe the remainder of the label against said folds.

8. The'combination with a device for advancing packages having a wrapper provided with end folds having a thermoplastic external coating, of means for heating said end folds to render them tacky, and members adapted to press one edge of labels against said tacky folds and wipe the remainder of the labels against the tacky folds.

9. The combination with a device for advancng packages having a wrapper provided with end folds having an external thermoplastic coating, of means for heating said end folds to render said external coating tacky, and heated moving members adapted to press labels coated with thermoplastic material against said tacky folds to cause adhesion of the labels thereto.

l0. The combination with a device for advancing packages having a wrapper provided with end folds having an external thermoplastic coating, of means for heating said end folds to render said external coating tacky,A heated moving members adapted to press labels coated with thermoplastic material against said tacky folds to cause adhesion of the labels thereto, and means for moving said members transversely of the path of said packages to press the labels against said folds.

11. The combination with a device for advancing packages having a wrapper provided with end folds having an external thermoplastic coating, of means for heating said endffolds to render said external coating tacky, and heated members adapted to press one edge of labels coated with thermoplastic material against said tacky folds for adhesion thereto and operating to wipe the remainder of the labels against said folds.

12. The combination with a device for advancing packages having a wrapper provided with end folds having an external thermoplastic coat ing, of means for heating said end folds to render said external coating tacky, heated members adapted to press one edge of labels coatedv with thermoplastic material against said tacky folds for adhesion thereto and operating to wipe the remainder of the labels against said folds, and means for Iheat sealing the applied labels to said end folds.

13. The combination with mechanism for feeding a web of thermoplastic ccated label material, of members for severing a label from said web and a bodily movable heated member for pressing the severed label against the folds of a package having a thermoplastic coating wrapper for causing adhesion of the severed label toisaid folds, and means for heating said folds prior to the application of the severed label thereto to render tacky the thermoplastic coating on the external faces or said folds.

14. The combination with a device for advancing packages having wrappers provided with end folds having a thermoplastic external coating, means for heating the end folds to render them tacky, of a label support for supporting labels having a coating adherent to said thermoplastic coating and a platen member movable toward and away from said end folds to momentarily hold said label against saidl folds to cause the label to adhere to the folds and to be dragged from said support by adhesion to said end folds.

cent said package face and between the same and said platen at a position out of contact with the path of said face, and means operating said platen to press said label against said face during continued travel thereof while permitting the package after adherence of the label thereto to pull the label by reason of said adherence from under said platen without interrupting the movement of said package.

16. In a labeling device for applying a label to a-` package wrapper, which label and package wrapper are adherent to'each other in response to pressure of one againt the other, the combination with means for continuously feeding the packages along a predetermined path, of a label platen having movement toward and away from the path of the package face to be labeled in v timed relation to the movement of said packages, a label feed for feeding labels into position adjacent said package face and between the same and said platen at a position out of contact with the path of said face, and means operating said platen to press the leading edge portion only of said label against said face during continued travel thereof while permitting the package after adherence ofthe label thereto to pull the label by reason of said adherence from under said platen without interrupting the movement of said package.

17. .In a labeling device for applying a label to a package wrapper, which label and package Wrapper are adherent to each other in response to pressure of one against the other, the combination with means for feeding the packages along a predetermined path, of a label platen having movement toward and away from the path of the package face to be labeled in timed relation to the movement of said packages, a label support for labels at a position adjacent said package face and between the same and said platen at a position out of contact with said face, and means operating said platen to press said label against said face during forward movement of said package while permitting the package after adherence of the label thereto to pull the label from under saidplaten without interrupting the movement of said package.

18. In a labeling device for applying a label to a package wrapper, which label and package wrapper are adherent to each other in response to pressure of one against the other, the combination with a label platen having movement toward and away from the path of a package face to be labeled; a label feed for feeding labels into position adjacent 'said package face and between the same and said platen at a position out of contact with said face, and means operating said platen to press said label against said face during forward movement of the package while pernation with a label platen having movement toward and away from the path of a package face 19. In a labeling device for applying a label to a package wrapper, which label and package wrapper are adherent to each other in response ,to pressure of one against the other, the combito be labeled, means operating said platen to l press saidl label against said face during forward travel of the package while permitting the package after adherence of thelabel thereto to pull the label from under said platen Without interrupting the movement of said package.

.20. The combination with a sealer plate arranged to engage and heat seal the folds at one end of a package having a wrapper provided with an external thermoplastic coating at its end folds, oi a pocket adjacent one end of said plate and arranged to admit a label, means for advancing a package along saidplate with the folds at lone end in contact therewith, and a member for pressing the label in said pocket against the hot folds of the package as it emerges from said plate.

2l. The process comprising advancing into label-applying position a package provided with a wrapper having folds which have an external coating of thermoplastic material, heating said folds to make them tacky, pressing a label coated with thermoplastic material against the tacky folds to cause adhesion of said ,label thereto, and subsequently applying heat to the applied label to bond the thermoplastic coating of the label to the thermoplastic coating of said folds, the label being heated while being pressed against the folds.

22. The combination with mechanism for feeding a web of thermoplastic, coated label material, of a member for severing a label from said web, a movable member for applying the severed label against the wrapper folds of a package having a thermoplastic coated wrapper, and means for heating said wrapper folds prior to the application of the severed label thereto to render tacky and cause the thermoplastic coating on the external faces thereof to adhere to the thermoplastic coating on the face of the applied label contacting the folds.

23. The combination with converging heat sealer plates arranged to heat and compress the overlapped end folds of a wrapped bread loaf which is moved laterally between said plates, of a member movable toward an end of the package emerging from between said plates for pressing a label against the end folds on said end with sufficient pressure to compress the loaf end to substantially the same degree as said sealer plates, and mechanism for actuating said member.

24. In a labeling device for applying a label to a thermoplastic-coated package wrapper, the combination with a member arranged to press a thermoplastic coated label against the advancing package wrapper, a label strip feed for feeding a continuous strip of thermoplastic coatedmaterial to advance the leading end thereofinto position to be applied to the wrapper` a knife for severing labels from the leading end of the label strip. heated means for pressing and heat seal- -moplastic coated labels to said end folds while the exposed faces thereof are tacky.

26. The combination with means for heating the end folds of a wrapped package whose wrapper is provided with end folds having an external thermoplastic coating to render the external coating of said end folds tacky, mechanism' for pressing labels coated with 'thermoplastic material against s'aid tacky folds to cause adhesion of the labels thereto, and members for heating the labeled package ends tc fuse the thermoplastic coating on the faces of the labels contacting the end folds to the thermoplastic coating of the end folds.

MILLARD F. WEIDA. 

